"Where did you get that

"Where did you get that?!" Demyx blurted out, now on edge. If Kier crystals were involved it couldn't be anything good.

"We all have one, given at birth by tribe elder." Kit told him, taking out her own crystal, elbowing the youngest sibling so that he, too, pulled out a Kier Crystal on a gold chain. These crystals were different from any others Demyx had seen before. Instead of solid colours fading into each other they were completely clear with orange and red gaseous substances swirling around inside, dancing with each other in a way that they almost looked like tongues of flame eternally trapped in crystal encasement.

"With these we can find our Garun-akyah." Taj added, a genuine smile gracing his features.

"Your what?"

"Garun-akyah. It means one bonded by crystal." Beth explained casually. "It's basically someone who will have a big role to play in their lives. For some their Garun-akyah is a rival to push them into striving to achieve greatness. For others someone to talk to or a best friend to encourage them. Sometimes the crystals even lead them to their life-partner." Beth's grin was now replaced with a wistful smile and Demyx noticed the corners of Kit's mouth curling for the briefest moments before fading again.

"Niko Garun-akyah shor kalim. Talya moi." Joc shook his head as he spoke, his expressive face saddening away from its usual carefree grin. Completely confused Demyx looked round at the others for a translation.

"He said: Brother's Garun-akyah left. Didn't love him." Beth once again explained, not once needing to stop and think about what she was saying. Then she chuckled slightly. "Yeah, I'm good at languages and translating them if nothing else." She added with a grin, as if seeing the question on Demyx's face.

"Liyo Talyan! Shrivara khandros iy." Kit snapped suddenly, long-nailed fingers gripping at Beth's forearm as she looked straight at the blonde woman firmly.

Beth just kept smiling. "Yeah, I know. I know. Eril Talyan." Demyx opened his mouth to ask what all this was about only to be cut off by a finger being pressed against his lips by Taj who shook his head, getting his meaning across: Just wait a minute, soon you can ask your questions.

"Sorry about that, man." Beth grinned at him. "Back to what I was saying before. This is a big world, no-one here would find their Garun-akyah if they stayed confined to the tribes and territories. So whenever night falls groups of up to fifteen ride out in search of camp sites, that's where the crystals come in. They glow red when in contact with the skin of its holder's Garun-akyah. So if the crystal glows red those people are taken back to the village for a period of three days. At the end of that they are given the choice: stay with their Garun-akyah or return to their lives."

"You can't just go kidnapping people while they sleep!" Demyx exclaimed.

Kit's blood coloured eyes bore into him. "How else could we find them? We are not... trusted by the others even before. This is only way." the Nocturne frowned at this. It just didn't make sense to him. They really believed that these Kier Crystals could do these things... but it just wasn't possible. They would have to have minds of their own to be able to do that. But they were just crystals, inanimate objects.

"So... that's why I'm here? Because one of your crystals glowed?" Taj and Kit both nodded. "Whose?" Taj said something to the other three before taking the crystal from his younger brother's hands and holding it gently against the exposed skin of Demyx's left forearm. "His?" Joc was looking at the ground sheepishly, snatching his crystal back and slipping the chain over his head. "But I can't stay here! I need to get back to the others."

"And you will." Beth said soothingly, placing an arm on his shoulder. "Just a couple of days and you, along with anyone else who makes the same decision, will be returned."

"We can't wait that long though!" Demyx shrugged her off and made to get to his feet. "Me and my friends... we've got a mission and it can't wait! We have to leave as soon as possible!" he insisted as Taj eased him back down into a sitting position, not looking at Joc's expression of confusion while he tried to get answers out of his sister. "I need to get back, tonight!" Demyx urged. If only his powers worked here... he could make a portal and get away. But in this state he couldn't fight back any of them even with the help of his sitar.

Taj looked at him intently, crimson eyes never once blinking. "Juyari rowgal Demyx qev. Havri goazn. Eril niko." he stated, looking at Joc in particular who now looked hurt. "Edra kosh-ba." the elder brother got to his feet, pulling Demyx with him. "Come... we leave as soon as Jyakin ready." and without another word he led Demyx out of the tent, over to where the reptillian steeds were kept.

"I am sorry, friend... I take you back tonight... it is for best." Taj muttered as he set about getting the reigns onto the two Jyakin they had been riding earlier that day.

"Y-you are?" Taj nodded stiffly, hauling Demyx up onto Raz's back once again before mounting the stallion next to her.

"Just follow, we get there before morning. No need for farewell... will only make things harder on niko." and with that the two Jyaking trotted out of their enclosure and past the borders of the village.

For the most part neither rider said a word, Demyx because he was vaguely confused and sensed some kind of tension from his temporary companion. Taj made no attempt to speak at all until two hours later when they slowed down to a walk. "You are... not whole."

The Nocturne looked up in confusion and slight panic. "What?"

"Your eyes are dead. When you smile... when you frown... your eyes do nothing." Demyx bit his lip slightly, he didn't think any of them had noticed. "That mission you spoke of... it is to do with that?" Taj's blood coloured eyes peered over at him, seeming to glow in the moonlight.

"Yeah... kinda."

"Then that is more important. Your friends are the same?" Demyx nodded, he couldn't believe he was having this convesation with Taj. "That is why I help you... if you stay only misery and pain. Now you have chance to become whole... it is for the best. More important than one boy's crystal." in the dark Demyx heard Taj sigh. "Already you are family to us. If you need come to me, my nikas or my niko. We will help."

"Thanks, Taj." Demyx smiled over at the Shadow-walker.

After another hour or so Taj stopped dead and pointed at a warm orange glow not too far away. "There is your camp, I go no further with you." understanding why, Demyx cautiously lowered himself to the ground. Taj taking Raz's reigns as he did so.

"Taj, before you go can I ask you something?" he saw the man nod slowly. "Your... Garun-akyah. Who was she?"

"Daughter of great Barbarian chief. I knew we could not be... I am twice her age. She has left this world, I cannot see her again. That is how it must be." and with that Taj dug his heels into Zil's sides causing him and Raz to set off in a gallop, back for their village.

Quickly turning around to face the inviting glow of the campfire Demyx started to sprint towards it. As he drew closer he started to hear familiar voices and even movement from the campsite. A grin spread across his face as he kept going. Soon he would be back with his fellow Nobodies. And soon they would all be off this planet and well on their way to Destiny Islands.

Lexaeus looked up at Zexion, raising a questioning eyebrow at the smirk pulling at the Schemer's lips. "Zexion?"

"It appears your faith in our little Nocturne were not misplaced, Lexaeus." Zexion chuckled getting to his feet, looking down at his large companion who was currently propped up on one elbow having just woken up. "Demyx is back... a full two days early no less. And here I was thinking we were going to get some peace for a few days until he was brought back by those Shadow-walkers." he didn't need to say anymore. Lexaeus was already pushing himself off the ground and to his feet. With surprising speed considering his sheer bulk and the fact that his torso still wasn't completely healed from when the Gummi Ship crashed.

That's one part of Aeleus that lived on even in his Nobody. Always worrying over his friends and companions even when he lacked the emotional capacity to care about others. Zexion chuckled. That's simply who he was. Heart or no, some tiny shred of Aeleus still remained within Lexaeus. Just like a tiny shred of Ienzo was still in Zexion.

Apparently some of the other travelers had heard the Schemer because they were up and rousing any that may still be asleep. Obviously excited that their loved ones would be back so much sooner than they could have hoped for. Had Zexion a heart he would have felt sorry for them. But he was good at keeping up appearances. They didn't know about his acute sense of smell. He had only caught four scents on the wind. One distinctively Demyx, reminding him of the sea. Two of the others nothing more than animals. And the last scent was now gone along with them.

Only one of those who had been taken was being returned this night.

A/N: Hey, I know I promised this wouldn't take too long, but I've been having computer troubles and I didn't trust the computers enough to make any new documents either on the desktop or on the internet. But at least I got it out right?

And the language the Shadow-walkers use isn't really a real one. It's mostly random words from off the top of my head that sounded pretty cool.

Okay not really too much to say about this chapter except that I'm relatively pleased with it and that the plot will be getting back into motion next chapter, these last few felt just a bit too slow for me so I'm gonna try and get it back into gear for next time. Anyway hope you like it and as always any reviews are greatly appreciated.

Translations

Juyari rowgal qev: I'm taking him back

Eril: Sorry

Talyan: Love

Liyo: Quiet

Shrivara khandros iy: That's not true

Edra kosh-ba: He does not belong